


The Garden

by NekoMorearity



Series: Flowers in the Garden (GrimmIchi) [2]
Category: Bleach
Genre: Established Relationship, F/M, Flowers, M/M, Minor Character Death, Reincarnation, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-24
Updated: 2020-06-24
Packaged: 2021-03-04 06:42:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,645
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24889333
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NekoMorearity/pseuds/NekoMorearity
Summary: Ichigo has dreams of a previous life. The sequel to Kikyou: Endless Love.
Relationships: Grimmjow Jaegerjaques/Kurosaki Ichigo
Series: Flowers in the Garden (GrimmIchi) [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1801018
Comments: 7
Kudos: 28





	The Garden

**Author's Note:**

> I would like to thank the Grimmichi Server for helping me, along with Starkken, my beta. This was so fun to write and I hope you enjoy it.

He didn't tell Grimm, but he knew about the garden. It was his grandfather's and his mother would take him there at least once a month. He remembered his mother talking about this place.

* * *

_"This is such a pretty place mommy!"_

_"Yes, it is Ichigo. When I was your age, my father would take me here every week after having lunch at a nearby café. It was his special place that he would share with me, and now I'm sharing it with you."_

_"So many pretty flowers."_

_"Yes, they are. My father was really big into flowers and their meanings."_

_"What do these flowers mean mommy?"_

_"Why, love, Ichigo."_

~~~~

Originally he thought the garden was for his grandmother, his mom didn't say much about it. She would just talk about the time she spent with her father at the garden and the café. It was when he was older he knew who the garden was for.

* * *

He remembered having to clean the house with Yuzu and Karin one day when the three of them found a big box full of his grandfather's stuff.

_"Hey guys, look at this big box I found!!"_

_"Careful Yuzu, let me grab it."_

_"I wonder what's in there."_

_"I don't know but it was heavy!"_

The three of them opened the box, lots of dust flew off it.

_"*cough* *cough* ugh I'm going to have to clean this later."_

_"*cough* Agreed… Oh wow this is old!!"_

The box was full of old photo albums and mementos that seemed to date back from when their grandparents were still alive.

_"I think this is grandfather's stuff."_

_"Jeeze, this stuff is ancient."_

_"Then we have to be careful,"_ Yuzu huffed when she opened up one of the albums, _"Oh wow, nii-san, grandpa looks just like you!!"_

Sure enough, there was a photo of his grandfather, and wow the resemblance was uncanny. It was like looking at a mirror. He seemed to be wearing a suit and holding his diploma, so this must have been his graduation. Right beside him was his family, some friends and someone that looked like his mom.

_"This must be grandma, but they don't look close."_

Karin was right, they seemed rather distant, but maybe it was just for appearances. Yuzu then flipped the page.

_"Oh wow!! She's so pretty."_

_"She's so tall compared to grandpa!!"_

This photo was different, it seemed to be the same day but it was a completely different vibe. His grandfather was happier in this photo, grinning like a maniac besides the girl next to him. They looked relaxed and in love. Karin was right about the height difference, she was much taller than him, he barely reached her chin, there must have been at least a 15 cm difference. She had a lopsided smile while hugging him, almost nuzzling against him like a cat.

The other photo besides this one was of a colored photograph of them in the garden, both in casual clothing and dirty, as if they were taking a break from working in the garden. In this photo, you could see her bright blue eyes, her jet black hair in a ponytail, a blue button-up she decided to wear, and some grey slacks. She was happily holding the shovel upright. Ichigo definitely inherited his orange hair from his grandfather, who was wearing brown slacks and a white button-down. He was holding on his lap a pot with a bellflower. It was a goofy photo of the odd pair, but they looked happy.

They spent the rest of the afternoon looking at the albums. The girl was definitely dating their grandfather, but she seemed to have been good friends with what appeared to be their grandmother. There were so many pictures of the three of them getting along, some were of the two girls hanging out by themselves. It confused the three until their dad explained to them after seeing the photos.

* * *

_"Your mom told me about her, I believe her name was Nanako."_

_"She seems awfully chummy with grandpa at the time, so why didn't they get married."_

_"Yeah, it seems odd for him to just marry someone else. What happened to her?"_

_"…Well, she passed away when they were young, I believe she was nineteen."_

The albums started to make more sense, they were keepsakes to remember her. Then that meant the garden was for her. He guesses that he was unable to see spirits like Ichigo could, so it was the only way to remember her.

* * *

After the Blood wars, he decided to ask his dad if he knew more about his grandfather and Nanako.

_"I never met your grandfather, but your mother did talk a lot about him. Apparently he was a good man and would have approved of our marriage."_

_"Really, no issue with the bloodlines."_

Isshin looked at the closet where they stored the box away.

_"Nanako wasn't a Quincy, and given that he was an Echt Quincy, their relationship wasn't approved. Your mother told me that he never wanted her to feel obligated to marry into another Echt family, hopefully, to never feel what he must have felt."_

_"Do you know what Nanako was, she must have been a medium at least."_

_"As far as I know, she was, all your mother knew was that she wasn't a Quincy."_

_"But he should have seen her spirit, or at least known of her passing on."_

_"That should have been the case, but as far as I know, he never saw her again."_

* * *

Ever since his hollowfication, he would occasionally have visions of Nanako, only faint memories.

_"Kurosaki? What the hell?"_

_"What are you?"_

_"Like my powers? They're pretty sweet! Gives me a leg up dealing with these creeps "_

_"Can you teach me more about spirits"_

_"So there could be others like me?"_

_"Introduce me to other Quincies now!"_

_"I honestly rather fight than talk about this."_

_"I don't care if Miyu is your arranged fiancee, that doesn't give you the right to be cold towards her."_

_"…You dumbass."_

He wondered how much she loved his grandfather?

* * *

If someone told him that an Arrancar with the memories of his grandfather's lover would be fighting him and later become friends with him, he would have called the mental asylum right away. He never expected Grimmjow to have Nanako's memories. It made sense, hollows were basically a collection of souls, he just assumed that they would be forgotten over time. Still, Grimm did say if a memory was strong enough, they would appear. A part of him was happy that she loved his grandfather so much that the Arrancar that was trying to beat him to a pulp remembered, but he still had so many questions.

How much did Grimm remember? Does he know how she died? Did she resent his grandfather?

Those questions were plaguing his mind. Ichigo didn't want to make the Arrancar uncomfortable, but he needed to know.

He looked at the photos of Nanako again, and the resemblance was uncanny. She was literally a female Grimmjow, only the hair and her having much softer features being the difference between the two. Those two could walk together and be assumed siblings, they even seemed to be the same height. Ichigo even went through the box again, and the photos confirmed the similarities. He also found a small jewelry box with ten silver and black rings. She must have been a Fullbringer, at least that what he thinks from the dreams.

Those dreams have been becoming more vivid now after the war. Before, it was just her voice, but now he could see more.

* * *

Nanako is giving him a strange look. He found her fighting hollows while he was out hunting them.

_"Kurosaki?"_

_"Sakai-San?"_

_"What the fuck! You can see spirits too!"_

_"Why are you fighting them, this is dangerous."_

_"Oh fuck off Kurosaki, this is fun!"_

_"Sakai-San!"_

_"Fight me!"_

He thought you could convince her, but like Grimm, she was itching for a fight. Her legs were just as bad as her claws. She got three solid kicks to his kidneys by the end of it.

This was different from the other dreams Ichigo was in. He felt as if he was part of it, but he knew it wasn't him. When she called out his last name, it felt as if she was talking to someone else. 

* * *

She's sitting on a bench by the school, showing off the rings. He is sitting beside her, listening to her describe them.

_"Like my powers? They're pretty sweet! Gives me a leg up dealing with these creeps."_

_"Why do you have ten rings?"_

_"These are what activate my powers, I call them Las garras del rey and El juicio del león."_

_"These rings are the claw things you used to beat the Hollows?"_

_"Hey, these babies saved your ass from that Hollow attack."_

_"Are you ever going to let it go? You're worse than Soken."_

_"Nope."_

She grinned, and his heart skipped a beat at that moment. Why is he feeling this, are these his feelings? They can’t be, can they?

* * *

Grimmjow now makes weekly trips to the garden. At first Soul Society was against it, but Urahara convinced them after hearing about the memories of the Garden.

"I never heard of an Arrancar remembering their human lives, so this could give us new insight into it. Maybe to help us purify their souls. Grimm can stay with me meanwhile, I'll make him a gigai."

After getting the gigai, Grimm would study and try to find work, but he always made time to be in the garden. He also took his time to visit Nanako’s grave and try to help out Nanako’s surviving friends and their families. Ichigo did his best to join him, and manage to reconnect with people who knew his grandfather and mother. Apparently they were also close to them until his mother was forced to move into the Ishida household. Many were thrilled that she was able to live a happy life, despite it being short. Over time his sister and father would occasionally join the two, and slowly Grimm became part of the family.

Grimm would stay over sometimes or help around the house. He even went with Ichigo on trips to the arcade or a nearby cafe when he was curious about them. Ichigo loved how excited Grimm looked when they went out and both of them were getting closer. Is this how his grandfather and Nanako felt when they fell in love?

* * *

When he confessed to her, he had to dodge her fist. She would have knocked him out and ran away.

_"Why did you do that Nanako?"_

_"I..I….I can't accept it Tatsuo!"_

_"It's the truth." You held her hands and reached up to touch her face. "I do love you."_

_"ugh"_

_"Do you want to talk about it?"_

_"I honestly rather fight than talk about this."_

He kissed her, which ended up with her punching him in the gut. Ichigo wonders if Grimm would react like her? They have the same mannerisms.

Oh god, Ichigo was starting to fall for Grimmjow. Not just because of Nanako, he does remind him of her but there’s something else that draws Grimm to him. Grimm was a bit brasher and the fact that he was a man did help, he got over his sexuality years ago. Maybe it was the care Grimm had about respecting and treasuring the memories she had, it was cute. 

* * *

For years Ichigo wondered about her death? He doesn't want to ask Grimm, maybe he didn't know, or maybe he didn't want him to know. He would have to figure out a way to ask him.

* * *

Soken visited him after her death, the police were still investigating it. Her aunt somehow managed to make a convincing plea of self-defense. He was tempted to drink after hearing that bullshit of an excuse. She knew what she did and just wanted to get away with it, what a monster. He hated that Soken was here, hopefully, he knew to keep his mouth shut.

_"Tatsuo…"_

_"What is it? Why are you here? Let me mourn in peace."_

_"I feel that you need to know this."_

_"Know what?"_

_"…Nanako was pregnant, she was about 2 months along, twins. My father autopsied her for the investigation and documents noted her going for a checkup. I'm so sorry."_

She was pregnant, she was murdered while she was pregnant. Did that monster know…he was tempted to kill her.

_"I felt that you needed to know. That woman is trying to claim innocence but the autopsy and records tell a different story. You will get your justice."_

_"Why are you telling me this?"_

_"She may have not been a Quincy, but you loved her. You won't move on until she and your children are given justice."_

_"…Thank you Soken."_

He was right, knowing that that bitch killed not only Nanako but the chance of a family with her. That motivated you to ensure they were getting justice. She tried to lie out of it but her daughter gave testimonies to the incident and of prior abuse. Nanako also had a journal documenting the pregnancy and the threats she was receiving from her aunt. 

Apparently her aunt was extorting her and a few others, she even went as far as threatening her and the babies if she told the Kurosaki family. She got the death penalty after this revelation, she tried to flee but was promptly captured. It gave him a sick joy seeing that woman fall apart after what she put Nanako through.

_"You better move on if something happens to me. If not I swear to god I'll turn into a hollow and beat your ass senseless."_

He will do as she ordered him, but he doubts he can ever move on. She was his world, so he might as well accept the beating she's going to give him later.

* * *

Ichigo woke up in a cold sweat, this dream, those feelings were too intense. Why does he keep dreaming of these memories? At least this one gave him an answer he never expected.

Nanako was murdered while she was pregnant, so she must have had lingering feelings. The despair must have led her to become a hollow, and to be eventually devoured by another hollow, forming Grimmjow. Ichigo didn't know how to feel about all this, this seemed too personal for an outsider to know. He should probably go to hats-n-clogs about this.

* * *

Urahara was very interested in his dreams. They were obviously his grandfather's memories, but why were they occurring now.

"You said you could remember this since your hollowfication, right?"

"Yeah."

He paused and thought about it.

"My guess is this might have to do with your past life. It seems that after your hollowfication, you started to remember memories that left an incredibly strong impression in your previous life."

What he was saying did seem to make sense, but it was still hard to process. He still felt in the wrong for knowing this about Grimmjow, Nanako, and his grandfather.

"What do I do?"

"That I can't help you with, perhaps you should discuss this with Grimmjow. Since it involves him as well."

God, he's going to have to admit to Grimm about his memories. How the hell was he going to do that?

* * *

Ever since Urahara suggested talking about it with Grimm, he's been avoiding it. How does he even mention it to him? Telling him about the garden is easy but everything else was much harder to explain.

Not to mention that he knew very little else about the Kurosaki Quincies. He actually asked Uryuu but he couldn't help him.

"The only thing I know about the Kurosaki Quincies is that the last head declared that his family would no longer agree to the Echt traditions. Apparently this infuriated my grandmother but my grandfather said that it was only a matter of time."

"Given from what I saw, yeah. "

"I still can't believe that you are dreaming your grandfather's memories."

"Try imagining Grimm with his lover's memories."

"Was she like him?"

"A little less brash."

"You and your grandfather have shit taste."

"Which one of us has eaten Orihime's food to not upset her?"

"…"

"I thought so."

Ichigo sighed, he wanted to know more about his maternal family. He knew a little bit about it due to the memories and old family friends, but he wanted to know more about his grandfather. Many of his living friends weren't mediums or at least didn't know about him being a Quincy. Uryuu's grandfather was close to him, but he's gone.

"I wish I knew other Quincies who knew him."

"…My father."

Ichigo looked at him, Uryuu was right, Ryuuken must have met his grandfather before. The only issue was how he could convince him of giving him that information. Ugh, he doesn't want to deal with this.

* * *

“Kurosaki, I’m surprised you came to visit me.”

“Sir, I have a few questions about the Kurosaki-”

“I will not answer any questions about the previous head. Now I have patients to deal with. Goodbye.”

Ryuuken walked out of the office, ignoring Ichigo. Uryuu just sighed as he watched his father walk away.

"I told you that would happen. What were you thinking?”

“I wanted to give it a shot, I need to know.”

“Another time then? Let’s go, you owe me lunch.”

* * *

"Oi, Ichigo!."

Ichigo was doing errands for Yuzu when he met up with Grimm again. He was apparently planning to move into the human world and act as a messenger for Hueco Mundo. He’s been enjoying going 

“Oh hey, Grimm! What are you up to?”

“Looking for stuff for my new place.”

“Oh cool, how’s that going.”

“Pretty good, I still need to get some furniture.”

“Maybe once I’m done with errands, I can help you and maybe we can go to a cafe later.”

“Sounds like a great idea.”

* * *

The two ended up going to a nearby cafe near the garden, both got a meal and talked about their day. Afterward they ended up walking to the garden and the two decided to sit on the bench next to the bellflowers. Grimm takes a sip of his drink and smiles.

“Thanks for treating me to a meal Kurosaki.”

“It was my pleasure, Grimm.”

“I’ve really enjoyed the last few times we’ve hung out Kurosaki. If I didn't know any better, it seems that you’re taking me out to dates.”

Ichigo coughed as Grimm laughed. He got a kick out of seeing him flustered, the little shit.

“*cough* *cough* Do you want it to be?”

With that Grimm blushed intensely and swung his fist at Ichigo, who dodged. He couldn’t help but laugh after that, he remembered Nanako’s reaction.

“Pfft hahaha! You and Nanako’s are too alike.”

Suddenly there was silence.

"What the fuck Kurosaki"

Grimm glared at Ichigo, he looked pissed. Oh shit, he didn’t intend to tell Grimm about this yet. 

"How do you know that name?"

"Uhhhh you mentioned it?"

"Don't lie to me Kurosaki!"

He couldn’t deny it now, he needs to tell him.

“I had remembered things in dreams. I remembered her and…”

“...Tatsuo?”

He nods, oh he hopes he doesn’t get punched. Instead, Grimm pulled his collar and kissed him. It was an intense and passionate kiss, Ichigo was getting lost in it. He wanted to embrace him but before he could react, Grimm socked him in the jaw.

“HOW LONG HAVE YOU KNOWN ABOUT THEM!”

“Don’t you mean us?”

“Kurosaki I swear to god. Tell me now!"

“....I came to the garden at least once a month with my mom ever since I was a child. It was a tradition she did with Tatsuo."

"What about the memories?"

"I had them before I met you. I just recently started to fit the pieces together."

"How recently, don't lie."

"...The moment you said that you remembered Nanako's memory."

“ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME!!!”

Grimm looked so flustered and mad, swung at him again but this time he dodged.

“Stop it Grimmjow.”

“YOU DENSE FUCK! I’M GOING TO BEAT YOUR ASS!”

“You already did!”

“I’M GOING TO BEAT YOU UNTIL I’M SATISFIED!”

It took two hours to get him to calm down. He still hung it over Ichigo’s head for well over a month afterwards.

* * *

They ended up officially dating a week later, after Grimm made him grovel. His family was thrilled when both of them announced their relationship.

“Nii-san, it was obvious you liked him.”

“Dense as always Ichi-nii.”

“It must run in the family.”

“Grimmjow!!!”

“Ichigo, you know it’s true. Don’t deny it.”

They all laughed about this as they were getting ready for dinner.

* * *

His friends were a bit surprised at the revelation, except Uryuu. Renji was laughing at the fact that Grimmjow used to be a woman, to which he was kicked in the gut by Grimm. They were also supportive of their relationship.

“I think it’s romantic! Don’t you agree, Rukia?”

“It is kinda cute!”

“Just don’t make a big deal out of it.”

Grimm blushed but held his hand as they cheered for the two of them.

* * *

The dreams stopped after Ichigo confessed for a while, but one night he had a dream that wasn’t a memory.

“I kept my word Tatsuo. Why didn’t you?”

“I could never move on from you, Nanako. You know what those bellflowers meant: endless love.”

“You fucking sap, I’m glad I got to beat you senseless.”

“I have no regrets, I got to see you again.”

“....I’m glad I got to see you too. You idiotic fuck.”

That morning he woke up and saw Grimm sleeping peacefully, he looked at peace. Ichigo hoped that they would always be together, no matter what.


End file.
